Darkened Heart
by KayStephens
Summary: When Captain Homer Jackson, is faced with a ghostly figure of his past will he be able to keep his promise and protect her against all that comes for her? Will she be able to love him again as she once did, after everything they have been through?


Jackson's eyes were fixed on the petite brunette, her face was soiled with blood and dirt and her hair was matted. Her clothes were torn, but her eyes were still the same. Those beautiful dark brown eyes that had drawn him in many a time before. Jackson had found himself looking upon a ghost...

"Alright let's move them away from here" Reid had grown aware of the crowd that were gathering to see what was inside the old shed. A man had moved to take the woman, that held Jackson's gaze.

"NO" Jackson barked much to Reid's surprise "No-one is to lay a hand on this woman except for me" He bellowed and pointed towards the ghostly figure.

Reid and Drake threw each other a confused look as they watched Jackson bending down and scooping the woman up into his arms careful not to harm her any further "Its okay my Darlin' I have you again now" he whispered. The woman looked into the familiar eyes before her, and finally closed her own.

XXXX

"You know this woman?" Reid questioned and Jackson inhaled deeply as he attended to her in his dead room.

"I do" Jackson replied as he wiped the dirt from her face, revealing the black and blue flesh beneath. The woman was still unconscious.

"Does she have a name?" Reid questioned and Jackson paused to removed the cigarette from his mouth where it had been hanging.

"Her name is Islaina, Islaina Grace Jackson..." he replied and Reid just stared.

"Your sister?" He guessed and Jackson shook his head, before returning his cigarette to his lips and continuing to bathe the wounds on Islaina's face.

"No, she's my wife" Reid eyebrows raised at Jackson's revelation.

"But I thought she was dead?"

"She was, or at least that's what I was told..." Jackson sighed "Long story, but I will say one thing. If I find out this has been done by the hand of a man. Then I will hunt him down put the gun between his eyes and..."

Jackson's thoughts of revenge were interrupted by a cough, suddenly Islaina became alert she fought of Jackson at first until he spoke softly to her "It's me" He said and Islaina froze. Reid was curious by what happened next.

Islaina reached up and touched Jackson's face gently "Is it really you, my love?" She spoke barely in a whisper and Jackson nodded, tears filled her eyes before she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck "They told me you were dead, that you had been killed"

Jackson's hand moved up to the nape of Islaina's neck, he fisted a handful of her hair and buried his face into the side of her neck below her ear "What have they done to you my darlin" he exhaled and Islaina hesitated before pulling away a little.

"I'll need a full account of all of her injuries. Past and present" Reid's request caused Jackson blood to stir a little, but it calmed when he realised he was only doing his job.

"Fine, but not here" Jackson's gruff voice echoed around the room, as he reluctantly agreed "I'll taker her back to my place and clean her up first, you'll have my report first thing in the morning" Reid nodded in agreement then left the room.

xxxxxxxxx

The lights in Jackson's suite were dimmed and the bath had been freshly drawn with hot water and salts, he watched as Islaina allowed her slip to fall around her ankles, revealing the full extent of the cruelty forced upon her "Jackson" her gentle voice interrupted his thoughts and he reached out to help her lower herself into the water.

Jackson delicately took a wash cloth and started to rub it across Islaina's shoulders. She flinched as his touch, causing him to swallow hard "You're safe now, Islaina I..."

"Please don't, I can't not now" Islaina's voice started shake as tears filled her eyes.

"Alright, I won't" Jackson surrendered, before continuing to bathe her. As the water trickled down her shoulders, Jackson's attention was drawn to the finger sized bruises on her thighs and around her wrists. He did his best to hide his rage at the thought of another's hand on her body, mistreating her in this way.

An hour had passed since Islaina was lowered into her bath, Jackson hadn't left her side once, he asked is she was happy for him to stay and she had insisted he didn't leave her.

"Help me out now please" Islaina's voice was weak, but familiar. Jackson stood and held out his hand, before reaching for a towel. As he started to envelope her in the towel, Susan walked into the room. She had never had to knock before so didn't think twice about it, well until; she saw Islaina's scarred torso.

"I'm sorry" She cried before quickly rushing away "I'll wait outside" she whispered Jackson nodded, before turning his attentions back to Islaina.

Once Isliana was wrapped inside the towel Jackson headed out of the room "I've never seen a woman so badly scarred in my whole life, and the one on her stomach is it...?" Susan sighed. Referring to the large single vertical line from Islaina's pubic bone to her navel.

"Cesarean scar, yes. His name was Elijah, he was coming too quick. I was given a choice, either her or him. As you can see his mother still lives so..." Jackson explained with sorrow in his tone.

"It was yours" Susan asked and Jack nodded gently.

"He was my son, yes and the 3 miscarriages that followed that, were fathered by me aswell" Jackson frowned. Susan's heart ached as she watched Jackson's eyes fill with pain. She felt a hint of jealously as she remembered how attentive he was towards his wife, even after years of being apart "I should get back to her"

"Yes of course" Susan agreed "If you need anything just ask one of the girls"

"Thank you" Jackson nodded his head and headed back inside his suite. The corners of his mouth lifted when he saw the dusk pink slip she was dressed in. Rose had let her borrow it "Well that's very..." he smirked and so did she. Then suddenly her face straightened as she looked anxious again.

"Yy...y...you won't leave me again" she stuttered and Jackson moved closer.

"I will be as close to your or as far away as you need me to be" He rested his hands delicately on her waist "I've only just got you back darlin' I ain't losing you again" he reassured her. Islaina allowed him to pull her closer. Their body's touched and her hand reached up to his cheek, she brushed his lips gently.

"I've prayed so hard for you to come back to me" Her voice was gentle "Do you have someone Jackson?" She wondered and Jackson was quick to shake his head, much to Islaina's relief "Will you stay with me tonight then?"

"Course, I'll get some extra linen for the..." Jackson assumed Islaina meant on the couch.

"No need" Islaina grabbed Jackson's hands in hers "I meant you lay with me, hold me. Never let me go again" She sniffed and Jackson inhaled deeply. Nothing else was said between them as Islaina climbed into the bed, Jackson removed his outer and upper clothing but kept his long John's on. He lifted the sheets and slipped in bed beside Islaina, pulling her body closer to his for warmth "Even after all this time I still love you, always have, always will" He whispered when he thought Islaina had drifted off. He was surprised her grip on his arm tighten as she pulled it further around her torso.

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End file.
